Little known fact, Dragon Quest VIII is one of my favorite RPGs of the PS2 era. I have very fond memories of playing the crap out of that game in my (very small) dorm room sophomore year of college, but thankfully you'll be able to play the game on the road thanks to the upcoming Nintendo 3DS version of the game. Square Enix were kind enough to provide some screenshots along with a detailed description of some of the finer points and new features of this classic title.

StorySince times long forgotten, a forbidden scepter had lain sealed away in Tordain castle. Until one day, a mysterious jester called Dhoulmagus disturbed its rest and freed the scepter from its ancient bonds.Using the scepter’s power, Dhoulmagus placed a spiteful curse upon the whole kingdom. In the space of a moment, the people were transformed into thorns and the land was frozen in time. To add insult to injury, the King and the Princess were turned into hideous beasts (a troll and a horse)!However, the curse left one person untouched… a young guardsman… you! Now you must embark on an epic journey to save your king and country and lift the shadow of the evil jester’s curse!

New ElementsWhile the 3DS version includes the same story and world as the PS2 version, it also adds further elements. This includes:Music by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.Full-Voice Support – The first fully-voiced numbered entry in the Dragon Quest series.New Characters – A female thief named Gerda and Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road‘s Morrie have been added to the party.New Scenarios – New episodes have been added focus on Dhoulmagus’ past, as well as the protagonist’s childhood.StreetPass Support – Details to be announced a later date.

CharactersThe Protagonist – You were once of the King’s guards who served in Castle Trodain. That was until the day the curse unleashed by the evil Dhoulmagus froze the Kingdom in time and turned your master, King Trode, into a hideous monster. You were the only one who survived the tragedy unscathed, and so it is up to you to track down Dhoulmagus and find a way to save your beloved King and fellow countrymen.Yangus (voiced by Fumihiko Tachiki) – Yangus’s craggy face and rough attitude make it obvious that he was once a bandit just as much as the scars all over his body do. However, due to unexpected circumstances, he ends up joining you, the hero, as a traveling companion. What could you have done to encourage him to reform his life so much? And why does he respectfully call you “guv” all the time?Jessica Albert (voiced by Ayana Taketatsu) – Despite her casual dress and her inquisitive expressions, Jessica is actually the daughter of a famous family of rural aristocrats. Hidden away within her are the seeds of powerful magic, so she currently studies magic in the hopes of unlocking that power. Jessica is also trying to hunt down Dhoulmagus, and this is why she eventually joins up with you and Yangus. What happened between her and Dhoulmagus to make her want to leave such a comfortable life behind?Angelo (voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya) – Angelo, a Templar who serves to protect Maella Abbey, is gifted with good looks and charm, as well as the most extraordinary silver hair. But why would one who has such noble ecclesiastical responsibilities join up with your mismatched party on a journey without a clear end?King Trode (voiced by Hiroshi Iwasaki) – Although he looks like a monster, he is in fact the majestic ruler of Trodain. He was transformed into his troll-like appearance on the day Dhoulmagus cursed his whole kingdom. In order to lift the curse that was placed on his castle and its inhabitants, King Trode sets out on a seemingly endless journey with you, the only person left unscathed by the tragedy. Will poor King Trode ever be able to restore his kingdom and his visage to its former glory.Princess Medea (voiced by Risa Taneda) – The Princess of the Trodain Kingdom, turned into a white horse under Dhoulmagus’ curse. Although she’s become a horse and pulls the carriage on the protagonist’s journey to find a curse, there’s still an air of elegance about her.Dhoulmagus (voiced by Takehito Koyasu) – He looks like a clown, but he’s the ringleader of the calamity that hit the Trodain Kingdom. After leaving Trodain, he seems to have caused incidents in other places, though his intentions are unclear.Gerda (voiced by Hitomi Nabatame) – A bandit and an old friend of Yangus. As a thief, she uses her nimble movements to run circles around monsters.Morrie (voiced by Joji Nakata) – The owner of the Monster Arena and organizer of the Monster Battle Road. Given how skilled he is in dealing with monsters, he might even be able to fight by summoning monsters.

Dragon Quest VIII is out on August 27th in Japan. No word on a possible Western release (AND WE'RE STILL WAITING ON DRAGON QUEST VII ON 3DS, SQUARE ENIX), but we'll keep you posted as we hear more.